Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Okposo Nets Winner Out West

In a fun game that featured two young teams, the Islanders won in Denver for the first time since 1999, by a 3-2 score. As the header indicates, Kyle Okposo scored the game winning goal. He scored on a 3-on-1 rush with 3:17 remaining in the contest, beating Avalanche goalie Craig Anderson over his left shoulder. For Kyle, it was his 7th goal of the year and his 28th point overall, which ties him for the team lead (with John Tavares and Matt Moulson).

Dwayne Roloson, who has played many great games this season, notched what may have been his finest one yet, making terrific save after terrific save in big spots. He finished with 30 saves on 32 shots.

We also must mention Rob Schremp's highlight reel goal in the 2nd period, where he knocked the puck out of midair with his hand and batted it into the net like a baseball. Islanders announcers Billy Jaffe and Jiggs McDonald were beside themselves when the play was initially ruled no goal, but video replay corrected the injustice and Schremp kept his SportsCenter moment.

The win puts the Isles back at .500 for the season at 18-18-8. Their 44 points also puts them right on the cusp of a playoff spot, currently positioned 9th in the Eastern Conference. They will take on the Dallas Stars on Friday night looking to improve their standing further.